Savigny-les-Beaune
Savigny-lès-Beaune is a large village in the Côte de Beaune sub-region of Burgundy
Nestled between the hillsides of a sub-valley in the Côte d’Or escarpment. The last part of the name reflects the village’s location; it is just a short distance away from the town of Beaune (lès is an old French word for “near”).
Almost all Savigny-les-Beaune wines are red, produced from Pinot Noir. They are similar in style to the red wines of Beaune, being neither as elegant as Volnay nor as powerful as Pommard, yet generally reliable and good value for money. Only about 10 percent of the appellation’s wines are white, produced from Chardonnay grapes.
Although not one of the most famous names in Burgundy wine circles, Savigny-lès-Beaune is one of the region’s more prolific appellations. Only Meursault, Gevrey-Chambertin and Beaune produce more wine annually. The simple reason for this is Savigny’s location – in a sub-valley formed by the Rhoin river, which flows just to the south of the village. This valley provides large swathes of south-facing slopes on which to plant quality vineyards. As it drops gently down to the east, the valley opens out onto the plain below, where there are many more acres of excellent viticultural land. Standing guard to the north and west are the hillsides of Battois and Corton, home to some of the finest premier cru and grand cru vineyards of the entire region.